Thou shall not kill
by miarath
Summary: So, there was this telling ... but Michael didn't listen or did he? No matter what, but there are consequences to bear. So, it cannot be undone, but is it really so bad? Different end and sequel to Lost Boys, kind of. Michael x Star maybe others.
1. The end is just the beginning

**The Lost Boys**

Another ending and a Sequel

by miarath

--

I don't own Lost Boys nor do I make profit with this.

It's just one of my oldest, or should I say it is my oldest fanfic and … seriously quite silly but I thought to give it a try.

* * *

**The ending is just the beginning**

There was this telling, like in the bible: Thou should not kill.

Sam had told that to him, too. But what had he done? He kept asking himself.

There was still this picture: David lying quiet and so peaceful, in the middle of our living room.

The fight between them had been ugly and heavy, that feeling of pure rage. He had wanted nothing more than to wipe David's grin forever from his face.

He wanted to kill him for everything he'd done to him. "It is too late. My blood is in your veins", that was what David told him, but he only returned, "so is mine" and threw him against one pair of antlers on the wall. Then it was over.

But it was not. He still felt that rage floating freely through him.

The feeling he got, after the fight was worse than rage. First relief, than confusion, finally fear. Fear for himself. Something was changing inside.

That was when he realized that he had killed. He could only hope that killing a vampire would not have the same effect than killing a mortal human being. "I hope it is not to late for me" he told to himself.

"Michael, Michael?! Oh God!!" he heard Star screaming. Then she was at his side, putting her arms around him. Returning her embrace, he knew she was afraid that something might have happen to him but in her eyes there was just pure love for him. "Oh Star" he muttered to himself, and kept her close to him.

"We won!" he could hear the Frog Brothers shouting and laughing. The others thought he had destroyed the head vampire. But he knew that David wasn't it. Sam and the Frog Brothers seemed to believe David was the head vampire.

"Michael?" he could hear Sam asking.

"Stay away from me! Please, Sam" he pleaded.

He did not want anybody, especially Sam, to see him like this. He wouldn't be able to stand the horror in his face. Star was caressing his face, as if she knew what he must feel like. Of course she knew.

"Thank you Star" he whispered into her ear.

"Why Mike? We won. Haven't we?" Sam confused babbling.

"You destroyed the head vampire! It's over!!" Alan told him.

"It's not" he replied.

"Michael is right. I don't feel any different than before" he heard Star telling them. But he thought he felt somewhat different. Only he couldn't say in what way.

"Shit! We must have missed someone." Edgar expressed.

Sam: "Max!"

"But that isn't possible! He passed the tests," Alan replied.

"Who then?" Sam asked the Frog Brothers.

Lights and sound of an engine interrupted the tense quietness. Just like that kind of noise a car would produce. It was a car, Max' car. Lucy and Max were coming home. Sam, Alan and Edgar quickly improvised something to tell Lucy, so she would not recognize the dead bodies in the house.

But Max went through the living room. Directly to that place where David's now dead 'undead' body lies. Seconds later they could all hear Max telling her "I am to blame for this all. I'm sorry Lucy. "

"Max, say that isn't true! Please Max. Oh god..." Lucy almost cried. It simply couldn't be possible. _First that disaster with Lance and now this. Would she ever get happy again? _

"I wanted you Lucy. From the first time I met you. I never met a woman like you in all the years" he told her, "It was a perfect plan. If I could get Michael and Sam into the family, there would be no way you could say no."

Sam: "I was right, all the time... You are the head vampire"

Alan and Edgar replied "But he passed all the tests..."

Max was laughing "You should never invite a vampire into your house, stupid boy!"

Sam to the Frog Brothers: "Didn't you knew that?"

"Of course everyone knows that" they answered.

Max continued, "Lucy, I still want you!" and vamped out.

Out of the shadows they heard Michael whispering, "This time I didn't invite you, Max."

Lucy gasped in shock at sight of Michael. "What had happened to my son?" Lucy was worried.

Michael could feel the anger, the rage coming back to him. "Max, this happened all because of Max." he found himself thinking. And he let the rage guide him. He had thought his anger towards David had been strong, this was worse. His rage towards David had been born of his own torn feelings, of his protecting feelings about his family – but which one?

Now, he only wanted to kill. He didn't care it if was wrong.

He attacked.

"Michael!! Oh God, please don't let them … hurt …" Lucy screamed.

Star cried and followed Michael in the battle, almost as angry as him. Sure, hurting Michael was nothing she could forgive.

Michael fought, but Max was stronger and threw him off.

Suddenly Max had Sam in his hands. So he forced Lucy to give up.

He almost won, but Grandpa brought the cavalry: He staked Max with one of his fence posts.

Max was dead. He did explode inside the fireplace.

Bang, Flames and lots of ashes made things hard to see for a while.

It was that extreme that they needed to bind things over their faces, their eyes.

Then suddenly it was over. It was a miracle that the house still stood. That it hasn't been burned down to ashes by all that fire.

The nightmare ended. Did it?

Everyone felt relief and pure happiness than. Especially Laddie, Star and Michael. They were free! Michael felt relief too. But deep inside of him was a gnawing feeling in his guts, which seemed to tell him that it is not over yet. He felt tired. He looked at Star, and saw his tiredness mirrored in her eyes. She, too, was tired. The others were still so excited about their won battle against this nightmare. They couldn't find any sleep now; they needed to talk about that all. Michael and Star went upstairs to bed.

Sam, Alan, Edgar and Lucy were still talking. They needed it, to process all the events of this night and the days before. They were that busy with talking and laughing that they missed completely that Star and Michael had gone to bed.

In the mean time grandpa began to tidy up this mess. He started that they had at least to do something about the vampire's remains. They came to the decision to burn them outside of the house. This way they could be sure they were really dead. When they came in again, they realized that they didn't know where Star or Michael was.

"Where are Michael and Star? Has anybody seen them?" Lucy asked anxious. But nobody of them did know that. It downed them that they had been that busy with talking and cleaning the house from those dead vampire bodies and because of that they had simply missed them leaving. Now they began searching for them. They began to worry about them.

Laddie was calling aloud, "Star? Michael? Where are you?" almost shouting, but he got no answer.

In between Michael and Star were in deep sleep. Cuddled in each other's arms.

It was a very peaceful sight. They were in Michael's room.

Guess who found them? Nanook of course. When the rest of them heard Nanook's low barking. Not loud enough to wake those lovely two. But enough to led the others to this room. Ah, they were really relieved that Michael and Star were just fine.

"Such a peacefully sight" Lucy thought. "He must love her a lot" And so did Star, that was obvious. "They must have been very exhausted" That battle has been much harder as it at first seemed.

"This is a good idea. We all need sleep. So go to bed! All of you." Commanded Grandpa.

And they went to bed. Got their well-earned rest. "I hope there are enough beds left to sleep in," said Lucy with a little smile on her face.

Sam replied, "I don't really care Just a smooth warm place were I can sleep at all".

Lucy was simply grinning to that comment. But he was right; none of them did really care about that. Not after a night like that. That was how this long night finally ended. Tomorrow would be enough to do.

so sleep zzzzZZZ zzzZZZ zzzZZZ

* * *

Hope you like this despite the silliness.

Thank you for reading.

Miarath


	2. The morning after the nightmare

Thou shall not kill chapter two

For Disclaimer see in chapter one.

_sorry forget this chapter..._

* * *

**The morning after the nightmare**

"Come on WAKE UP! Breakfast is ready" Sam tried to wake up Star and Michael.

"Ouch, do we really need to get up?" Mike asked sleepily. "I am so tired", and put himself back to sleep.

"Hmm, is it morning?" We heard Star murmuring. "Star, please wake up!" Sam started a second try on waking her up.

Senseless. She already was asleep again. She was only putting herself closer to Michael. Sam began worrying if he really made it in time to wake those two up. "Hmm, I never thought that this would be a problem." he began thinking.

"Sam? Do you have gotten those sleepyheads awake?" Lucy was calling for Sam from the now cleaned kitchen. "Not yet, Mom", Sam replied loudly, "Should we get some cold water?" He was grinning. Something about this was weird. Laddie was already awake and sitting at their kitchen table. He was here, like all the others of his family and friends. Only Mike and Star were still sleeping.

"Hmm, perhaps they like it a little too much to be cuddled into each others arms" Sammy thought. He knew they were madly in love. And in a way they were just cute. So he came to the conclusion to let them sleep.

"Mom, let them sleep. There is enough to eat and drink in our freezer. Let them get it by themselves. There old enough." said Sam to Lucy.

"It's okay Sam. Of course they are old enough," answered Lucy. But after last night she was a little anxious about her oldest son. What Sam had told her had been a real shock for her. "Vampires do really exist...Weird, more than that. And Mike had been one of them, a half one. But that didn't make it any better. He had looked like them. Those yellow eyes

... and fangs, really fangs..." Lucy thought aloud.

"Stop worrying Lucy, it will be ok.", she was told by Grandpa, who seemed to know what she had been thinking. "Even if it won't", He thought to himself, "It has to be.".

Laddie was happy. Soon he would be at home again. He had missed his parents a lot. Laddie was a bright kid.

He asked, "Sam are they okay?"

"Who?" Sam replied.

"You know who. Please tell me that they're ok, please" Laddie repeated his question for Sam, who seemed to be puzzled now.

"Why did you ask me such a thing?" Sam said. But then he told Laddie "Of course they are ok. Just tired."

"Tired? Tired as in tired after a long day or 'night'?" Laddie questioned him. Worries began showing in his tone.

"Laddie, the nightmare is over. Max has been destroyed. And if it weren't over, what about you?" Alan tried to calm him down. You are okay, aren't you?"

"Of course I am," answered Laddie, sounding still not completely satisfied. He would first been sure about that, when he heard it from Star and Michael by themselves. "Why was Sam unable to wake them? Was he unable?" Questions like this were still spinning around in his head.

So they were having breakfast after that night at the first morning after the nightmare. Yeah breakfast but it was afternoon in reality, they all have been sleeping more than usually. They were all in the kitchen, eating, drinking and laughing, just happy to be alive.

Only Michael and Star were still sleeping. Really? Not completely. It had been a hard night and now the two of them wanted some time for them alone. It was true, they were somewhat tired but not that much they wanted the others to know. Star reached out for Michael, kissing him.

They felt a deep hunger for each other. His lips on hers, their bodies were close. Stars hands reaching for his shirt, beginning to undress him. She could feel his hands on her, doing similar things with her dress. It drove her crazy ... crazier... She wanted him. That was all her body was screaming at him. And he responded. It was like a dream, but this was real. Like their first time, it was soft and heavy at the same time. Soft were their touches, heavy their feelings.

Their need for each other came almost near something other they knew. But that didn't matter.

They got closer each minute, any second ...

But then Sam came in. He wanted to check on them if they were still asleep. He just wanted to be sure. Laddie's words were wrong. So he went to Mike's room again.

"Hmm, they are clearly NOT asleep." Sam blushed a bit and went back downstairs and told to them and to himself, "I come back later!"

--

* * *

_In each others arms, they woke up this day.._

_their love would make the darkness shine with a million stars ..._

_... even if night would claim them what couldn't be fought_

_not forever..._

_bonded to each other through love and destiny_

* * *

--

When Sam came back, Laddie and Mom were still in the kitchen. It was almost evening and Lucy was preparing dinner. They wanted to know from Sam if Mike and Star were still asleep. Sam fist didn't know what to say.

"Hmm, not completely…" he murmured.

"So and why don't come they down to us?" Lucy wanted to know.

"They … hmm… are busy" Sam answered, his face blushing a little, "with each other." he explained.

"Ooh, I should have known" Lucy replied. Lucy had seen how much her son was in love with this girl. And it was obvious that Star felt the same way. Sam's mom felt relieved. "This is a far more normal explanation for their habit. It has to be."

"Where are Alan and Edgar?" Sam asked his mom.

"Oh, they wanted to go home. They didn't want their parents to be afraid more than they must have been until now." She answered her son's question, with a smile on her lips.

"Sam, please help me and Grandpa, to clean up the bathroom." Lucy asked him.

"The bathroom, upstairs? Is there anything left of it, mom?" Sam replied.

"Not much, but we have to do what we can. I didn't want my mom be scared to death!" Laddie insisted on cleaning the bathroom.

"Ok, we have to do something about our house," Sam thought and went for some cleaning utensils. "We have to do it, at least for Laddie. Tomorrow his parents would come and take him home." Sam was happy for him. So they were busy with cleaning up the bathroom from all that bloody mess. They didn't notice the sun going down.

Sam heard a scream, from above. That was just when he was about to go upstairs to look after Mike and Star. "What for god's sake is going on?" he was wondering. And he began wondering if they were okay. The scream sounded much like Star and Michael. Last time he was looking after them they were rather well.

"But what's up now? Why were they crying?" He opened the door to Mike's room.

They were not in bed. "Where are they?" he thought.

Sam went to the bath corner.

* * *

Thank you for reading and sorry for getting my chapters scrambled up . ;-(

Miarath


	3. The end is just the beginning two

Thou shall not kill - chapter three

For disclaimer see chapter one

* * *

**The End is just the Beginning - Part Two**

--

_In each others arms__  
they woke up  
that day_

_Their love would__  
make the darkness  
shine with a_

_million stars...__  
_

_even if the night claims them  
what couldn't be fought_

_... not forever ..._

_bonded to each other_

_by true love and destiny_

--

* * *

Upstairs Mike's bath corner

He found them. Crying, holding each other in the arms. Mike seemed to be rather desperate, so was Star. That told him the expression on their faces.

"What happened?" Sam asked them. But they were in shock. So, Sam got no answer.

There was absolutely no reaction to his question.

"We're lost, Sam", Mike thought, but was unable to speak it out aloud. There seemed to be nothing that could save them, now. Everything they had done was in vain. They had given their best, but it seemed not to work after all. But why did it last night? Last night he had felt relieved and happy. Now he knew better. Had it been just an illusion? There were lots of questions but no answers.

Sam repeated his question, but still he got no answer. Then the mirror got into Sam's view.

"Oh NO! Not again! Mike that can't be!!" he shouted frantically.

What Sam saw, was that Mike and Star still had almost no reflection. "They are still half vampires", Sam thought, "But that cannot be, Max had been killed. The head vampire is dead." Now he knew why Michael and Star look that shocked. They must have thought they were free from it.

"Mike what have you done?" Sam inquired, looking accusingly at his brother.

"Nothing Sam." he answered.

"Nothing," Sam replied, pointing to the mirror. "This is not nothing. Did you lie to me?" Sam's voice trembled. "Michael, you didn't kill anybody?"

"No…" he whispered.

"But this…" Sam muttered then nearly shouted. "You should be free. Max is dead!"

"Yeah, I know that Sam. But look at us. We're not free. Will we ever be?" Michael whispered with a husky voice. "It is more likely the sun turns green tomorrow..."

"But Max is dead, we killed the head vampire…" Sam stuttered.

"Max…" Michael repeated slowly; he shook his head. No, it couldn't be Max. He and Star were half-vampires and not fully turned. The sun didn't burn them.

"What about Laddie, Sam? Is he okay?" Star wanted to know from Sam.

"He is okay. He got breakfast with us. His parents come tomorrow and take him home." Sam told her. But then he remembered that Laddie was worried about Star's and Michael's behaviour this morning.

"But he is worried about you two. I wanted to tell him everything is OK. But I cannot do that any more, can I?" he continued.

"We didn't intend this... well nobody did..." Star murmured to herself

"We have to tell mom" Sam said.

"I know. But I am not longing for it," Mike responded. He knew well that they have to tell her. "How will she react? What will it do to her?" They went downstairs where Lucy and Grandpa were, still working.

The Frog brothers have been gone home. They said, they need to make sure their father doesn't worry about them more than he need to.

* * *

In the kitchen - evening almost night

When Lucy, Laddie and Grandpa saw them they knew something bad had happened. Michael, Lucy thought, something is still not right with him. He looks kind of worried about something, so did Star. He was still holding Star's hand. Like they needed to touch each other to keep themselves steady.

"Michael, what's wrong?" she wanted to know.

"I am sorry, mom," he began his voice unsteady, shaking. "But me and Star are still not okay, yet. I didn't know why. I 'm so ssorry. Please mom, can you forgive me?" he sounded guilty.

"What want you to tell me with that?" Lucy's voice was shaken with fear. "Are you still a…" she couldn't bring herself speak out that word.

"Yes," he whispered and put Star closer to him, "I don't know how to go on…"

"Sam please tell me that isn't true!" she cried out, "Is it?"

"I am sorry mom, but it is. I saw it, they still have almost no reflection," Sam said bitterly. "Our fight, all our doing last night, in vain." Sam felt sorry for his mom, more than for every one of them.

Well, it was hard for Mike, but he had lived with it before. And Sam was sure he would survive it, in any way possible. "I only hope, that he will be able to keep his temper," he murmured hopefully, but wasn't sure at all.

"What can we do?" Sam asked again. "Nothing Sam, only hope." Grandpa said. "Hope that they are strong enough."

* * *

Thank you for reading.

Miarath


	4. The Other Day

Thou shall not kill chapter four

For Disclaimer see chapter one.

* * *

**The Other Day**

Frog brothers at home

Edgar and Alan were having dinner with their father and where trying to keep what happened from him at the same time.

Only, Paedrig Frog, actually owner of the Comic-Shop, in real life he was a doctor med and also very perceptive. Really, how did they expect for him to not notice something with the way they had come home?

There had been a time he had been a full time doc, but not nowadays. Well, he still did some work at the local hospital but just in cases of emergencies. Yesterday had been one of those. He had been for almost six hours in surgery and so he had been very late at home and been right in time to see them coming home.

He had noticed his son's dirty clothes and ruffled looks. Now he was very curious about what happened yesterday and gave them suspicious look after look.

"You've been on a vampire hunt, weren't you?" he asked them right after finishing eating dinner, out of the blue and thus catching them off guard.

"Vampires, dad? You believe in vampires?" Alan asked astonished at this admission.

"Of course I do. They are real as you and me." He smiled a knowing smile at them. He couldn't help but feel secretly amused at his boys' puzzlement. Oh, they were in for a surprise.

"Why…Why did you never say something?" Edgar asked sounding slightly offended.

"I've tried to protect you. I knew if you two knew something like vampires existed, you would have gone on a wild goose chase to hunt them down. They are too dangerous for you to hunt them down alone. I simply was worried about your well being." He explained while gesturing wildly.

Alan gasped. "But we've found alone out, that they exist."

"I know, I should have told you. So what did happen, yesterday night?"

"Well, it's a long story…" Edgar answered.

"We have enough time, son. " Paedrig smiled to himself.

"Okay, well we met this a new kid in town, Sam Emerson. His family just moved here. He's really a bright kid even if he has a rather odd fashion sense. But that wasn't the problem. It began when Sam's brother fell in with that pack of vampires."

"I'll see" Paedrig nodded, motioning for them to go on.

"But that was not the real beginning, Edgar", Alan objected. "I know, but that comes later. I have to tell the story the way it did happen to us. So, those vampires made Sam's brother, Michael, a half-vampire. Sam asked for our help. We told him to kill him, but he couldn't do it. And so we began to search for the head vampire."

"Sam suspected that Max would be this head vampire, because there were several hints. You know like he always shows up after dark he got a nasty dog and so on. He got a point there and the whole trouble began, when Sam's mother started to date Max."

"So, Max was the head vampire, wasn't he?" Paedrig summarized.

"Yes, he was. But he got through our tests in the beginning." Alan sounded shameful.

"Why this?"

"Well, when we tested him, in Sam's home, Michael accidentally invited him, not knowing Max was a vampire. We didn't knew that at that time," Edgar said, explaining.

"I see, so guess it didn't went well." Paedrig smiled a knowing smile.

"Hell, no. But in the end we killed them all, the vampires. Yeah, with a little help from Sam's grandpa. Actually he deserved the glory of having killed the head vampire."

"And now he's back to normal, Sam's brother I mean?" Paedrig leaned forward, looking somewhat sceptically at the two.

"Yes, they all are." Edgar and Alan confirmed, sounding proud.

"They? There had been more than one half-vampire?" Paedrig raised an eyebrow, questioningly.

"Oh, yes. Michael, this girl Star, his girlfriend, and Laddie, a little boy"

"And they are all completely normal now?" Paedrig repeated his question, sounding now even more sceptical.

"Yes, of course they are. Why, do you have doubts, father?"

"There's always the possibility of failure, son. But if not then you saved them all. And I'm very proud of you two." Paedrig told his boys, "But I think I should tell you more about them, the undead. There's a lot more to know than in those comic-books of yours is mentioned"

"There is? Really?" Alan and Edgar asked both. Their eyes had grown big with curiosity, oh, the joy.

"And there's more than just vampires, a lot more. It's not only black and white. There are many shades of grey in between."

Paedrig was very interested in history, especially history of magic, legends and so on.

On could say that he knew a lot. He will teach everything he'll knew about the supernatural, everything that might help his sons survive encounters like yesterday night in the future.

"But most important I should tell you why I first was a bit sceptical."

"Why is that?" Alan wondered.

"Well, it's because that killing the head vampire does not always bring all half-vampires back to normal. There are factors which change its success drastically."

"What kind of factors would that be?" Alan asked, alarmed now.

"Well, there are several but the most important ones are about the mind and soul. The very essence of a being." He lectured.

"What? You mean if someone doesn't want to return, he doesn't?" Edgar asked shocked.

"No, no, it's not that simple. If it where it would be a lot easier, but it's not." Paedrig sighed heavily.

"Innocence, Alan, is very import. Children almost always return to us." He explained, "Guess it's because the curse is so much heavier on them. Think about living for centuries but being trapped in a child's body."

"Yeah, that would be horrible." Alan and Edgar agreed.

Paedrig starred outside and still thinking. Something about the things happened seemed not quite right. Something was amiss. Then suddenly he stood up.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Edgar asked worried.

"What's wrong, Edgar?" He asked his sons. "Everything son, I'll think I know now."

"What do you mean dad?" They asked together, totally mystified by this.

"Alan, didn't you say that that Emerson boy, Michael and that half-vampire Star were a couple?" He asked his son, trying to confirm his suspicions.

"Yeah, they were quite cosy with each other but what has that to do with becoming human again?" Alan wondered.

"A lot son, a lot," he replied, then swallowed. "Well, we can't be sure right now."

"Then how long does it take to be sure?" Alan asked.

"How long does it take to turn?" Paedrig returned, eyebrow rising.

"Three days, sometimes less, that is right, isn't it dad?" Edgar answered.

"Yeah, that is right. And that is the time it takes to be sure they are back for good." He explained.

"That long?" Alan wondered. "Last night I thought it had been rather instantly, hadn't it Edgar?"

"Yeah, it had, bro." Edgar smirked, remembering the smiling faces from last night.

* * *

--

* * *

Mike's room

Michael Emerson had a nightmare or should it be called a daymare? He couldn't sleep, not really. He was turning and tossing in his bed. He dreamed of that very night, of his fight with David.

He heard David's voice again and again, "You are one of us!"

"No!" he replied in sleep.

"Yes, you are still mine." He heard him whispering. "You are both mine. Nothing's going to change that." David chuckled.

"No!" Michael whispered a second time, but this time he wasn't all that sure.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to fight it anymore.

He woke up, shaking his head in denial "Had David been right?" Back then he thought not so, but now he knew that wasn't true.

David had been right; he was still one of them.

"Michael?" he heart Star whispering. He had woken her up, too.

"Yeah?"

"You all right?" She looked him in the eye.

"Yes, only a bad dream." He explained then shrugged.

He got halfway up, starring at the ceiling now.

"Star?"

"Michael?"

"What about David?" He asked uneasy. "I mean he disappeared and I've this strange feeling any time I think about him."

"Me, too," she replied. "He's out there I think."

He took her into his arms.

* * *

Thank you for reading.

Miarath

* * *


	5. Day turns into Night

Thou shall not kill - chapter five

For disclaimer see chapter one.

* * *

**Day turns into night**

-

Day Frog's home

-

Alan and Edgar were shocked and perplex for they had been so sure that they'd won but know things seemed to be a lot more complicated than they ever thought possible.

How was it possible that Michael and that girlfriend of his, Star, didn't return to being human like they should. They should've been okay, shouldn't they?

They had to.

"How is that possible, dad?" they asked him, seemingly confused.

"Are you sure that this Max had been the only one, the only head vampire?" Paedrig asked. "I mean are you sure he is the one who was their sire?"

"Well, no," Alan replied, "but the returned to normal so it had to be Max."

"Yeah, he himself said so, too." Edgar added.

"What about this David? Wasn't he the leader of the pack?" Paedrig mused, then shook his head. "You say he was killed by antlers, wasn't he?"

"Oh, no!" Alan exclaimed, "Damn, how could we be so stupid."

"But we burned all of them, didn't we Alan?" Edgar objected.

"We did, didn't we?" Alan whispered, but his voice was shaking. No, he wasn't sure at all. It was kind of blurred. Vampires had reality bending abilities.

"Now, we've got only one way to be sure," Edgar mused.

"Sure, we've got to meet Sam." Alan agreed.

"Well, do that boys," Paedrig said and yawned strongly, "but I've got a date with my bed, you know."

"Oh, yeah. Good night dad." Alan said and suppressed a yawn of his own.

Edgar wasn't that self-restricting however, he let go of a loud yawn, announcing happily how tired he really was. "Yeah, let's go to bed, too." He agreed.

* * *

xox

* * *

-

Night on the beach

-

Star and Michael were silently sitting at the beach; watching waves surging softly on the shore. All he knew was how much he loved her, love like he had never before.

He looked up to sky, seeing the raising moon reflecting in the waves. The night looked beautiful. He still wasn't sure if this was a dream or a nightmare.

He looked at Star. "A dream, definitely a dream," he thought.

"We will make it. What ever happens I love you Star," Michael whispered into her ear and put her closer to him.

"Do you believe?" she asked him.

"Yes, I do. We have to," he answered her question with a smile on his lips, "We have to. There's no other choice for us." And he was right. Destiny had made this decision for them. They have to give in. This was what he was thinking. And beside this the night was just too beautiful for brooding over their future.

"Star," he whispered, "come with me!"

"Mike, what…" she asked confused, but he took her hand and his feet left their contact to floor. He was floating.

"Come on let's fly," he smiled and kissed her. His decision had come quietly to him, when he had realized that there would be no way out of this. Why not enjoying this a little. Besides flying was simply amazing to him. Now, that there was no fear any more. Not like that time, the first time it had happened to him.

There was magic. In a way it was all magic to him, a dark itself too. He was still a little afraid of what he, they, might do. But there was absolutely nothing he could do about that. Yes, the night was beautiful.

No, this was the only way to do this, to cope with this. If you took away the choice from them, what was left? He could only accept what had happened, what they were now.

And he was too young to spend brooding about the future for eternity, especially if the latter could be a rather long time considering their condition.

"Whoa …" She laughed next to him. "I've almost forgotten this."

"About flying?"

"Joy of being alive." She smiled happily, forgetting everything else for the time being.

"Joy!" He agreed loudly.

"We can't tell them," Star whispered suddenly, clutching him closer to her.

"No, we can't." He agreed as silently, "they would not understand it."

Michael shook his head, taking another look at the moon. Oh, how he wished they would understand, but how could they? How could they after what happened?

-

* * *

xox

* * *

-

"No, they won't understand," David whispered, "they'll never do." He smiled a bitter smile while watching his two remaining children from afar. He was sad because he lost all of his family, but content because he was free now. Now, that Max was gone.

"Max," he muttered with a little more fervour, "it had been all your fault…"

Then he chuckled darkly. "You've been a fool."

He swallowed. "A fool, who cost me my pack."

"But I'm going to get it back." Then he grinned.

-

* * *

Thank you for reading.

Miarath


	6. Misery's Children

Thou shall not kill - Chapter Six

For Disclaimer see Chapter One.

-

* * *

-

**Misery's Children**

-

_We are misery's children and this is her curse on us.  
It's her curse, this craving inside of us._

_Will it ever end -- with out falling, with out doing the unforgivable sin?  
Once I forgot about it, thinking it was just a dream, a bad one._

_But now I think I will never awake from this dream…  
If life was just a dream than what is this?  
Living like this, with this … this thing inside?_

_Is it to be fought successfully? Will it ever be?  
This thing, it feels like deep pain inside, burning like fire._

_But it is part of me, now.  
I have to fight against myself, at least a part of me._

_But I fear that in the end, it will be a losing battle.  
And you know it too, because you feel the same -- deep inside._

-

* * *

xox

* * *

-

It was night again, just another night and Mike had just gotten up. Only this night he didn't feel like flying, no, not at all. He was feeling ill now.

It was an illness he knew all too well since that first time in the kitchen. He had felt it again, crawling inside for quite a while but he had kept quiet, trying to ignore the feeling of worms inside eating him alive -- which was a very hard thing to do. He already felt disconnected from Sam, from his family and saying anything would just scare them farther away and he couldn't take any more of that --

Of feeling alone, feeling lost -- so much like a little lost boy in the dark.

Aside from the hunger inside he felt cold, just like coldest winter -- yet outside it was still a warm summer night. It was a night most people would have tossing and turning in their beds because of the heat but his feeling cold came from inside of him.

Oh, he had known that it would come to this but he hoped, for what he didn't exactly know, maybe he had hoped they would be spared of this.

At first he had been scared, then accepting and a part of him had felt like it could be okay -- and for a while it had been, more than okay. It had been exhilarating, the feeling of flying, of the night around him.

Of course that happiness didn't last long for them and reality had them again and here they were again. No, he had no other choice but to face it now, this downside of what he was now: a creature of the night.

"_Face it."_ He snorted.

So, and now he had woken up again, with this dangerous need waiting inside. Michael was all too aware of his family, of his brother sleeping upstairs and his mother every move while she tried to get some sleep. He could hear them all, could smell them -- and almost taste their blood. It was discomforting and so very alluring, whispering with soft devious voices to him.

He shook his head.

_No, he wouldn't go there again._

He had to leave the house -- now.

He then paused a moment in front of Sam's room, unsure if he should try speaking with him. Sam had been grown distant during the last few days, he thought sadly. Well, there _was_ nothing he could do about this.

"Sam? Have you seen Star?" He finally called, his voice sounding hoarse and rough, but got no answer.

Bang! _That door was definitely shut._

So, he went out, knowing that Star had al ready left their room, and now went looking for her.

Wincing, he left the house quickly, pausing outside just for a moment to get his bike ready for the road. He kept driving -- and felt the night wind blowing in his face, it was even warmer then he had expected it to be for a summer night but inside it was still cold.

Yes, inside it was getting colder by the minute and he could do nothing against that, against that growing pain. The pain kept growing and growing until he felt hollow. He had to go out, staying away from Sam, his family and all human company, at least for tonight. He had done this many a night before but tonight it seemed not to work; the pain was still growing, so were his senses.

"Star, where is she?" He was wondering. He didn't know where to go so he drove around with no real destination.

Suddenly he realized he had stopped in front of the cave and stared at it for a good amount of time. Of all places it seemed he ended up always here, the place where it all began. He got off his bike then, and walked towards the cave's entry. He sighed, there she was -- and she seemed to be as hungry as he was. "Might be the reason she got up that early." He thought briefly before he finally entered the cave.

"Michael," he heard her call him and then she pulled him into a tight hug, clinging to him and he clung back.

"I-I'm so hungry, how … can w-we stand this any longer?" She whispered into his ears, her voice shaking from suppressed pain.

"I don't know," he answered and he really had no idea how to stop their suffering, without doing the worst: killing. He could feel her pain like he could feel his own. He then took her even closer to him, feeling comfort in her heartbeat this close.

"We better stay here for a while." He heard himself saying. He felt so helpless.

Then this night ended like it began with pain inside. They fell asleep like this, on one of the beds here. In each other arms, they stayed here, here, where everything had began. They had simply no other choice. That was all they could do to make it a little more comfortable if they could call it that.

Next night he woke up, pain came now like tidal waves to him. He got up, away from Star, who was still sleeping. She looked so peaceful, what a wonder, he thought briefly.

He walked out of the cave. Outside the moon was shining; it was almost full moon. It was late summertime, almost autumn but days were still as hot as ever. Tonight there were many animals active and he could spot some deer in the forest not far from him.

"Amazing…" He thought and went into the forest or what was a forest to his eyes, him being a city boy and all. He had been watching them for a while.

_I have to be quiet so they won't recognize me._

"They are amazing," he thought in growing fascination, eyes narrowed.

He kept sneaking nearer to them.

Then he felt another wave of hunger and suddenly noticed that he wasn't alone anymore. Next to him he spotted Star getting closer to him. She had her eyes focused on the same direction as him -- the deer.

They shared small glance at each other. "There're no humans!" He whispered nearly impossible to hear but to vampires.

She nodded and took the place on the opposite site.

They felt so alive, filled with delicious energy with every heartbeat he could hear.

He couldn't control the craving anymore.

Now they're already hunting -- closing in.

_There, here we are. _

"This is our way out! Hell, there is no alternative to this, is there? Not one we want to take."

That was the last thought he had, before he leaped forward, breaking the deer's neck.

He sank his fangs into its throat and drank. True, it was a strange feeling, the fur between his teeth but with the deer's blood the pain flooded away and he felt at peace for once.

After what felt like an eternity but was only minutes in real time they returned to the cave, sated and free of pain for the first time since days.

Just, when they were about to enter the cave they stopped in their tracks. Someone was in the cave, someone, who felt familiar to both of them.

"David!?" They exclaimed both.

-

* * *

-

_Thank you for reading._

Miarath


	7. Lost and Found

Thou should not kill -- chapter seven

For disclaimer see chapter one.

* * *

-

**Lost and Found**

-

* * *

-

_Found_

-_  
_

"Have you missed me?" David greeted them with a wide smile and open arms, like he wanted to give them a bear hug.

"No, yes." Both stuttered, completely flabbergasted by this sight, but followed him inside, where he had already arranged some candles, bathing the whole cave in a soft light -- and there was another bottle on the table in the middle. It looked just like that bottle, David had offered to Michael during their first meeting here.

So, was it what it looked like? Was that a bottle of David's blood all over again? Well, Michael couldn't help but his eyes were drawn to it, being unaware that his vampire-side was very aware of its smell; it found it delicious.

"What's this?" He asked.

"This?" David took the bottle, taking a sip out of it and smiled. "Oh, I believe you know what it is, do you not Michael?"

"Blood."

"Yeah, guessing right." David answered; grinning widely then offered them the bottle. "Want a sip?"

Again, both Michael and Star just stared at him widened, at him and the bottle; they were feeling torn inside. Their darker part, the vampire, wanted nothing more than take a sip but the human part was disgusted by the very idea and a little afraid.

"I take it's a yes, right?" He chuckled in return. "Tk-tk, is this a way to welcome me home?" He proceeded, coming closer until it was under their very noses. This was so fun, watching their expressions turn from disgust to desire in the matter of seconds.

"Drink, my children." He whispered, repeating it like a chant.

Silence, then slow hesitating nodding from first Michael and then Star, which showed clearly their mixed confused feelings. Right now, they did not know where they did belong to, because they were both vampire and human and on the same time neither, but in the end they gave in and took the bottle from David.

"Ah, that's much better." David said, beaming happily at his two remaining children.

"So, you're alive?" Michael finally asked, while still looking incredible dazed at having to face the reality that David was alive -- and from the rush of his blood. How could he have ever confused this for wine? He gave the bottle back to him, not wanting to be tempted longer than necessary.

"Yeah, did you really think a pair of antlers could kill dear old me?" David grinned at seeing their confused faces. "Antlers aren't wood, Michael -- but they surely do hurt as hell."

He hit him with his fist, sending Michael flying to the wall behind him.

"Don't ever try again to repeat that!" He growled. "Or, this will be only the beginning." True, it was a thread but it was also clear that David wanted to keep both Star and Michael, since that debacle had been mostly Max' fault. Max had ignored the many warnings and hadn't given a damn on informing him. "Max," David growled again. "He didn't give a damn about us."

"Then why did he want my Mom?" Michael muttered, scratching his cheek, where David had hit him. "He said his boys, that surely meant you guys, needed a mother."

"I don't know, I don't know." David replied thoughtfully. "Maybe he wanted to have more time for himself, whatever."

"You're staying, right?"

"Yes, of course," David said sounding strangely light-hearted and amused. "I can't leave you two alone like this, now can I?" He pulled them into a hug, like he wanted to do this from the beginning, since he had met them again. Giving both of them an adoring look, his angel and star, he mused.

"Are you …" Star stammered, not sure how to phrase her question because she feared David's answer to it. Yet, she felt strangely comfortable where she was.

"… going to make us feed?" Michael finished the sentence for her. He too, felt more at peace with it, ever since he had accepted that there would be no return, no changing back -- ever. Other than that he had always wanted to belong -- and hadn't David all but said that they were his?

"No." David shook his head, making them both jerk around, staring at him in utter confusion.

"You're not going to force us to feed?" Michael asked with wide eyes, surprised at this turn of events.

"No, I don't have to." David agreed with a grin. "Time will do that for me."

"Oh, maybe you're right."

"Sure, I am." He nodded and sat back further, seemingly completely relaxed. "Besides it's so much more fun this way."

"It's almost sunrise." Michael muttered and yawned tiredly.

"Then you should go to sleep." David chuckled then frowned again. "What about these Frogs, your brother's friends, do they know about both your condition?" He had stressed the word friends, seemingly seeing them not exactly as friends, which was of course right.

Friends didn't seek to kill you, did they?

"Um, no, I don't think so." Michael replied slowly. "Sam didn't talk about them much and I doubt they'd stay away if they knew."

"They would try to kill you."

"Yes, us both." Michael pulled Star closer to him, as if making sure she was still there.

"My brother…"

"Your brother is afraid of you right now, Michael - and given time he will be just fine."

"You believe that? Really?"

"Yeah, really." He tousled Michael's curly hair, nodding towards Star. "And don't you dare thinking of leaving me, you two. You're mine and that's not going to change."

"Yours?" Star replied, looking at the platinum blonde vampire in mix of hesitating joy and surprise. It had sounded so warm -- and caring.

"Yeah, mine." David snorted. "Did you really think I wanted to give either of you to dear old Max?"

"No, I guess not." She smiled uneasily. "You haven't been all that fond of him, have you?"

"No, the hell I was." He answered and pulled them both into a hug. "Dear old Max wasn't exactly a good daddy."

-

xxx

* * *

-

_Lost?_

_-  
_

Michael watched his brother working on their grandfathers, which itself did amaze him. He had never thought that he would let anyone else touch his car, but here he was -- and if he was right Grandpa was just in the kitchen, getting himself another bottle of root beer.

So, yeah, they were alone right now. What better chance could there be than now, for talking that was.

"Sam?" He asked finally.

"Yeah," his younger brother answered, sounding tired because he'd a long day of work behind him.

"How are things?" Michael added, not knowing how to start. "Mom?"

"Oh, she's all right, I think. Took it pretty well, too." Sam smirked then frowned, giving his older brother a closer look. "Everything all right with you guys?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Um, I don't know. Just a hunch."

"Well, nothing changed." He answered -- well, that was only half the truth. David's back, that's changed, but he couldn't say this to his little brother; he wouldn't understand.

"What about … the Frog's?"

"Oh, them? Haven't heard of them since that night." Sam frowned then shrugged. "They should've stayed, helping us to clean up that mess."

"Yeah, maybe.

-

* * *

-

_Thanks for reading._

_Oh, and sorry for the long wait. _

_Miarath_


	8. In between the lines

Thou shall not kill - chapter eight

For disclaimer see chapter one.

* * *

-

**In between the Lines**

-

"Had it only been four days?" Sam wondered, looking at the house and blinked. There wasn't much reminding of that chaos, dying vampires had left behind. No, everything was clean and looked fine to the unknowing watcher, but not to Sam. Some things were different, for example the missing radio and the fireplace looked slightly darker than before it had become Max's last resting place.

Well, some of the things were, new like there were more of those, those stuffed animals around than before. At this thought he frowned, then shook his head, wondering where they had all come from. It wasn't like there was a forest here in Santa Carla, was there?

"Grandpa?" Sam asked, hesitatingly entering his grandpa's workroom, not knowing how he should word this.

"Yes?"

"Where did you get all these, these things?" He motioned to all the unfinished stuffed animals around them. It still freaked him somewhat, but that was now a minor scare after all what happened -- with those vampires in their house.

"There's lot of deer around here." Grandpa answered gruntingly. "There's a whole wilderness just beyond the city's borders."

"But a bear?" Sam asked raising his brows, showing that he could hardly believe this newest project Grandpa was working on.

"I said it was a wilderness, didn't I, Samuel Emerson?"

"Uh, um, sure, you said that."

"Sam?" He heard his mother call from him from the kitchen.

"Yes, Mom, I'm coming!" He yelled back and ran back to the main room, but he hated it, because it gave him too much time to think. Well, thinking was bad, very bad, because if he started he couldn't stop but brood for hours and hours, but brooding wasn't what a teenage guy was supposed to do, was it?

No, he couldn't help it, but things were difficult to say the least. He didn't want to lie; he hated it, but there was not other option, was there? He could hardly betray his brother like that, could he? No, so telling the Frogs about the truth of Michael and Star's current state was not an option.

Yet, he couldn't help but feel crept out by it, being afraid of his own brother, of what he might do if he were to lose control one day.

Sam felt torn, torn between all sides, but right now he was concerned about Mom. Max's video shop had been closed since two days and she was without a job again and knowing his Mom she would probably blame it on herself.

"Mom?" he asked, "everything okay?"

"Yes, of course it is." She smiled at him, but he could see that it was a forced smile.

"I'm sorry Mom." Sam muttered. "I'm sorry that things went down like that."

"Things," Lucy whispered then swallowed. "I still can hardly believe that, that I went out with a vampire, and now my oldest one is one too."

"Half-vampire, Mom," Sam reminded her. "He's only half."

"Yes," she agreed with tear shining eyes, "but how long? How long Sam?"

"Mom…"

She sat down and motioned for him to do so too. "I'm not that blind Sam. I've seen that hungry look in his eyes. How long do you think he can resist?"

"How long?" Sam swallowed uneasily. "I don't know. I don't know Mom, but we can only hope for the best -- and pray for him."

-

* * *

xxx

* * *

-

Another day at the beach

-

It looked like nothing happened, the same boardwalk, the same beach, short um Santa Carla looked like always. Sam thought while looking at the waves breaking at the shore in front of him. Well, it was day, and he had returned to trying to try some surfing again, needing some time off, away from all the horrors, which were waiting in Santa Carla's warm nights.

It was like before, but he wasn't really into it, course it felt strange doing this alone. He suddenly shivered besides the heat. "Mike," he thought, they were never going for a swim again -- at least not during the day.

"How could you be so stupid?" he asked himself, but couldn't muster the strength to be really mad his older brother. Who could've known that vampires were actually real and not just something only happening in horror movies? Yeah, whatever, it didn't help to deal with the real thing any way.

"You're Samuel Emerson?" Paedrig Frog asked. "I'm Paedrig Frog."

"Um, yeah, that's me, but please call me Sam." He answered then frowned at the old man in front of him. "Frog you said, that means …"

"Yes, I'm Edgar and Allen's father."

Sam stared at the older man for a moment then swallowed. "Why are you here?" Sam asked, looking sceptically at this man, who claimed to be the Frog boys' father.

"I'm here for the truth, Samuel Emerson."

"The truth?" Sam raised a brow. What was he up to?

"I know you're hiding things from my boys, Sam." He continued then swallowed, nodding to himself. "Not that I can't understand that, concerning your situation, but I need to know the truth."

"The truth about what?" Sam replied, feeling more at unease with every minute he was in the company with the older man.

"About your brother of course." Paedrig chuckled, seeing the blonde boys unease at his questions. "He's still a half-vampire, am I right?"

"Wha… n-no, he's not." Sam stuttered and swallowed. "How?" He asked finally, seeing that the older man wasn't going to believe him.

Paedrig Frog just chuckled, seeing the confused look on the blonde boy. "It's simple, I put two and two together and got five."

"But we didn't say anything." Sam muttered.

"Exactly my boy, exactly." Then he shrugged. "Oh, don't worry I won't harm your brother -- that is if he's behaving himself."

"You … you don't want to kill him?"

"No," Paedrig answered, "no, not yet. There's no reason for that. He isn't preying on human blood, is he?"

"No, of course not!" Sam said quickly. "He wouldn't be an half-vamp then, would he?"

"Of course, you're right boy." He nodded and walked away, leaving Sam behind to stare at his back, wondering what he was up to.

-

* * *

xxx

* * *

-

Just another night at the boardwalk

-

"It's almost full moon, isn't it?" Star whispered into his ear, sitting behind him on colourful carrousel. It was the same one the boys used to visit from time to time, but other than the boys Star and Michael were left alone tonight. No guard came to send them away, so they could enjoy their ride and the unusual quietness of this particular night at the boardwalk.

"Hmm," Michael said, gazing at the sky and nodded. "Yeah, it is. Looks rather romantic, does it not?"

"Hmm, yes." She nodded pulling him around only to silence him with her lips. "Hmmm, yes, definitely." Star murmured breathlessly.

Michael broke their kiss several moments later, because he thought he had heard something. "What was that?" he murmured. "There are no wolves around here, are there?"

"Homo Lupus, my child." David whispered, having moved behind them and was now riding along with them.

"What?" Michael asked, jerking around to face David.

"Le garou, Michael," David purred then shrugged seeing that they didn't understand what he meant. "Or in other words, there werewolves."

"Werewolves, David?" Star gasped. "I thought they were all gone."

"They were, children, they were," David said thoughtfully. "But with Max gone, they …"

"They don't have to fear the evil master vampire, right?" Michael nodded, understanding what David tried to explain.

"Yes, I guess that would be right." He said and pulled them closer to him, hugging them.

"Why are you here then?" Star asked, with a hint of fear in her voice. "They're not that many, are they?"

"Why, can't I be worried about me only remaining children?" The platinum blonde vampire purred into his ear but shook his head. "No, Star, they're not that many -- yet."

-

* * *

-

_Thanks for reading._

_Miarath  
_


	9. Wolfmoon: Rising moon, unknown enemy

Chapter nine of 'Thou shall not kill'. For disclaimer see chapter one.

.

-

* * *

-

-

**Wolfmoon**

-

_Rising moon, unknown enemy..._

-

Sam shivered while watching how a huge moon hung close above the horizon, almost like a bad omen -- and it was almost full. It omitted an eerie light, which was not quite dark but not daylight either, a gloomy kind of red lighting. In truth it was very early morning, almost early enough for him to meet the Frog boys to join them on their way to school.

Yet, he couldn't help wondering why he got up this early for a moment then was reminded by a cheery bark from his dog why he was here. Nanook had needed to go for a walk and was now waiting with him.

"Come," he said mounting his bike. It was just a few minutes until he saw Edgar and Alan, just like him on their GMX bikes.

"There you are," Edgar said impatiently. "Took you long enough, class is starting in fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, got to hurry, Sammy." Alan added, teasingly and moved swiftly out of the way to avoid being hit by an annoyed Samuel Emerson.

"I'm not that stupid." The blonde teen pouted. "It's not that late yet." Sam added while pointing to his wrist watch. "We've at least half an hour until we have to be in class."

"Um," Edgar murmured checking their watches then nodded. "You're right. Mine is going behind." He pointed at his own watch and cursed under his breath. "Gotta to correct it later."

"Yeah, no worries, man." Sam said calmly and gestured towards the first sunrays appearing at the horizon. "Well, we need to go now."

"Yes, we do." Alan and Edgar replied at once and started their bikes. "Come, let's go."

Thank fully they arrived at school in time, for they had a very restrictive teacher, who seemed to be even scarier than any vampire at times. Well, there was something strange about Ms. Rosswell indeed. It was just in the way she acted – but she couldn't be a vampire with the way she used to bark in the sun when not teaching or when waiting for her pupils finishing tests.

Whatever, Sam strongly hoped she didn't turn out to be some kind of monster because he really liked her, no matter how grave serious she felt about teaching rules and all.

"She's certainly quite the teacher," he murmured to himself after school was done today, but not quiet enough for the Frog boys not to overhear him.

"Hmm, yes, you're right." Alan agreed, moving closer to Sam while his brother followed behind him.

"What about you come for a visit to the shop in the evening, eh?" Edgar asked with a twinkle in his eyes but his voice sounded quite serious for this to be a joke.

"Um, why not." Sam replied uneasily for he felt a little awkward around the two other boys ever since that night. Well, there was little he could do, right? He simply couldn't decide between their kind of justice and his brother's well-being be he vampire or not. He was still his brother no matter what happened.

"I don't have any plans for today."

"Fine, see ya later then." Edgar said in return. "We've got a job to do." He nodded towards his brother Alan. "We'll meet you at the boardwalk. Don't be late."

"Yeah, sure, I won't," Sam nodded but felt a little surprised at their sudden exit. "Come, Nanook." He said to his dog, who had been waiting for him to leave school. Strange, he thought, remembering that Ms. Rosswell didn't seem to mind him bringing his dog to class. No, indeed, she seemed to like Nanook very well and even went so far and brought treats for the dog to eat.

Oh, okay, Santa Carla was still as strange as always then, even if it was now almost boring without Max and his boys.

Sam was really glad that school was over sooner than he had expected it then, because he found it rather boring. Well, aside from Ms. Rosswell's biology class. That class wasn't boring at all but the other topics were. Yeah, boring indeed, after what happened this summer, what was school indeed but boring?

So, after eating lunch he went back to the comic shop, like almost every afternoon before -- only now he felt strangely uneasy about it. He hadn't told them about his brother right? Not, that he had lied to them, no, he hadn't, but he had simply kept quiet, lying by omission.

"Sam?"

"Yes, what now?" He asked the Frogs.

"Here read that!" Edgar handed him another comic, sprouting a large beast with way too big teeth -- short um a werewolf.

"What we've got werewolves, too?"

"Yeah, sure, or did you really think that vampires were the only ones being real?"

"So, why now?"

"Idiot, look into your calendar." Alan added, snorting in disgust. "It's almost full moon."

"Yes, I can … indeed see that." Sam nodded slowly, feeling like things were going to take another turn to the weird. After vampires, now werewolves?

"Werewolves are a rather difficult species." Edgar said pausing for effect. "There are two kind of them actually. One are like those out of the movies, they've been bitten by an other werewolf and survived it."

"And the other?" Sam asked.

"They're born ones -- and far more dangerous and difficult to discover Sam."

"Yeah, they've got almost all the advantages of being a werewolf with next to none of the disadvantages. They can even change when ever they want and the full moon doesn't enslave them ... much."

"What about silver?"

"Harms them of course, but only if it gets in contact with their blood." Alan chuckled. "Yeah, silver doesn't burn their skin like in those silly stories."

"It doesn't?" He blinked in surprise since so far almost everything had been like the things he had known from movies and legends.

"No, it doesn't -- but that's only so with those ones, who were born like that. Bitten ones … they're a complete different matter."

"And they tend to turn pretty mad too." Alan added with a serious look. "Much like rabid dogs only much bigger."

"Oh, okay." Sam nodded then took another look at the comic the Frog's gave him to read. "What about this? There's a cure … for werewolves?"

"Um, no, it's not really a cure, Sam." Edgar explained slowly then sighed. "It's more like a drug, which suppress the bestial urges, you know -- but there's a price. It turns the werewolf in question almost human."

"But that's great, isn't it?"

"Yes, no, because it's not good in the long term. It's pretty much a loose cannon, blowing up sooner or later." Edgar chuckled dryly.

"Yeah, only way for a were to do this is letting the beast out from time to time." Alan added then frowned. "Werewolves are rather kinky creatures too."

"Kinky?" Sam raised his brows. "In what way?"

"Well, they turn eccentric." Edgar snorted. "All possible kinds of that too. Having strange hobbies, jobs, behaviour and all -- nothing specific known though."

"That makes it rather difficult to spot them, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, we just said that." Both Frog brothers chuckled at that.

"But, but ..." Sam muttered in return then shook his head. "Why?"

"Why what?" Alan asked then nodded to his brother. "Why we told you this?"

"Um, yes, why? If there's nothing I could do anyway ..."

"Well, not nothing but keep your eyes open Sam." Edgar sighed and looked almost sad. "Werewolves are such sad creatures, you know?" He gestured to another page to explain his words. "Look here, all it takes is being bitten or scratched by another werewolf and survive it, which most don't. They're the lucky ones indeed."

"Yes, and they are better off dead than cursed by the moon to turn into mindless beasts during the full moon." Alan added with another nod.

"And?"

"Well, there are signs of being a werewolf, especially this close to the full moon, Samuel Emerson. They get uneasy and bad tempered. Really itchy indeed." Edgar nodded and scratched his chin demonstratively.

"Yes, itchy,"

They talked some more but nothing spectacularly happened that day and Sam went home as every other day.

-

* * *

xox

* * *

-

_That night he woke with a shiver deep in his bones – cold, yet there was something exciting about it in, like something in him was looking forward to something unknown to his concious self._

"_The light looks beautiful," he heard him whisper to his self, maybe to get over the unrest in him. _No, Michael thought, shaking his head. He needed action, needed a ride, no matter the risks.

He had spend the day at the house, trying to spend some time with his brother, awkward as it was, he needed that contact to keep himself going. Sam was still his brother no matter what happened otherwise, even Michael felt himself drifting more and more away from them, from his human family. He was close, no, he was already lost in the night. He had been only too stubborn to admit that fact. More, he wasn't even sure if he would go back if he could.

He'd already went too far into this new world of shadows; had become one of them and taking the last step was only a matter time.

So he found himself prowling the boardwalk, not so different than David and his boys had done, he realized. Michael looked around and shivered again, realizing how unknowing people were.

They did not realize what danger walked among there midst.

"Hey, you there, dude, gotta have a smoke?" He heard some guy calling out.

Michael ignored that voice, barely. While that guy smelled not exactly nice, the lingering scent of fear and sweet blood was very inviting.

Michael Emerson kept walking, until he felt a familiar presence and stopped, waiting what the other had in mind.

"You've waiting for me, haven't me?" He asked calmly – and almost didn't recognize his own voice. It was so calm, icy calm – predatory calmness.

"Yes, you could say that Michael." The platinum haired vampire replied with a broad grin.

"David?" Michael blinked, surprising by the exited tone in the older vampire's voice. What was he up to now? He thought and felt his own heart responding with speeding up.

"Come with me, this night, Michael." David motioned towards his machine. "Ride with me."

"Why?" He asked in return but he knew that his resolve was already weakening as he asked this. Michael knew that _he_ wanted to go with David, even knowing that he shouldn't.

"To have some fun, Michael." David purred. "The night's to young for us to do nothing." His voice had a strange undertone to it, almost like he wanted Michael to come with him for more than just having fun, but for a far more important purpose – almost like he needed help with something.

"Come," he said again and watched the younger vampire's resolve crumble in front of his eyes.

"Okay." Michael nodded finally and went to get his bike.

They went on a ride a while, shorter than he liked yet Michael didn't ask why because then he noticed the people over there, just on the other side of the boardwalk, near the water line. They were far enough from the more lively places here so that he hadn't seen them before now and they were pretty drunk too, yet, that wasn't what put his senses off.

No, it was their scent, no, it was only one of them for the others smelled pretty ordinary to him. That guy stunk – that's the only word he found for that. It was pretty bad and for a moment Michael had trouble breathing.

"That guy," he whispered finally, "what is he? He doesn't smell right."

"So, you noticed?" David raised an eye brow and smirked at him. "He's a monster." He explained and then silenced Michael with grave serious look. "It's true. We have at least some control of who we kill, but he hasn't or ... he won't have when he changes."

"When he changes ..." Michael repeated then swallowed. "He's one of them, werewolf."

"Yeah, that he is, my child." David agreed inaudible to all but the two of them.

They watched in silence for a while, which wasn't easy because, well, while that guy stunk his companions did not – and were very human. Michael was really glad now that he and Star had managed to hunt last night.

"Why are we here?" He found himself asking several moments later.

"To put a rabid dog to rest." David explained and laughed manically then motioned Michael to follow him.

-

* * *

-

-

_Thanks for reading and sorry for the long wait. I hope there not too many typos in here but I couldn't wait anymore with this. _

-


	10. Can't fight the moonlight

Chapter ten of 'Thou Shall Not Kill' - and quite long, so enjoy!

_Disclaimer:_ I still don't own anything but the plot and the one or other OC I might make up.

* * *

**Can't fight the moonlight**

_Next to midnight_

"You-you can't be serious about this?" Michael stuttered then swallowed. "No, you are serious. Aren't you, David?"

"Of course, I'm serious about this." David snorted then made a face. "It's either we kill that rabid dog over there or he'll eat his companions and endanger everything." He added then averted is eyes after seeing that Michael hadn't understood yet. "That one, he will slaughter countless people if we let this continue."

"Sounds familiar." Michael stated with a hard look towards the platinum-haired vampire.

"Look I know I admit killing people but only as far as I need to survive." David said in strangely far away sounding voice. "Sure, I do like to having my fun at times but, honestly, I don't really enjoy killing all too innocent people. You can't have fun with the dead." He forced a chuckle down. "They are rather boring, don't you think?"

"What?" Michael stared and shivered uncontrollable – not because of the words he'd just heard, no, but because of the truth in them. David was completely serious with this.

"I don't understand." Michael said. "What about those Surf Nazis?"

"We have to feed. Would you prefer to feed us all the time on some innocent children instead?" David said dryly. "They were hardly innocents." He sighed, realizing that the younger boy didn't seem to understand. "It's the way of nature..." He tried again. "It's either eat or being eaten. It's the law of nature, but it doesn't make us evil."

"Michael," David started touching the half-vampire's chin. "A vampire isn't all I am." There was a sudden loneliness in his voice, a pleading tone Michael had never heard from the older vampire. A moment later it was gone as he shrugged it off. "Pretending to be human would be a lie Michael." He said wistfully then nodded. "Stop lying to yourself." He added with a lot more force.

"I-I try, David." Michael swallowed uneasily, knowing that David was right and that he it really had been only pretending what he had been doing in the last few weeks. He wasn't very good at it too, as he couldn't even convince his own brother about it – no, maybe Sam would be the first to look through his mask aside from Grandpa of course.

"Stop trying." The platinum blonde said again, his voice being barely audible. It caused Michael to shiver with some unknown emotion, maybe it was the blood he shared with David, maybe not.

David smirked at the reaction he was getting from Michael.

"David?"

"Yeah?" David raised an eyebrow and his grin got even broader in satisfaction as he noticed the expression on Michael's face. Now, he had the half-vampire exactly where he wanted him to be.

"I think he's freaking out." Michael pointed towards the man, who was just about to change into beast, a very ugly beast at that. He couldn't help it but that just looked wrong, somehow, but maybe that was just him, seeing his first werewolf.

"Yeah, looks like he is." He nodded calmly.

"Shouldn't we do something?"

"Yeah, you're right. Here take this." David pulled something, which looked very much like a sword from under his coat.

"A sword?" Michael frowned but took it neither the less. "Is this ... made out of silver?"

"No, of course not. That would be too weak, but there's silver laced into it, along with other things." David smirked at that. "This, Michael, is just the right thing to get rid of our little problem." Michael almost giggled at the sudden surreal thought of David wiggling his ears.

Damn, he hadn't got anything of that _bad_ stuff in the past few days, had he? Michael couldn't help, but wonder how sane the older vampire was; not that that mattered much.

"So, let's play? Shall we?" David asked sheepishly.

"Hmm, of course." Michael found himself agreeing, again almost against his will, but it felt good somehow. Strange, that this could make him feel good, this feeling of something breaking inside. He didn't understand this, but it felt right, doing this.

What came next he barely remembered, because it was too soon over to really realize what had happen. One moment they were rushing towards there and followed by an angry howl from that freshly transformed werewolf – then nothing. He felt only that this was utterly necessary, and this time the half-vampire didn't fight his instincts, simply couldn't.

Michael's eyes gleamed golden and his fangs showed but other than that he was utterly calm, which was so very different from the madness of bloodlust he had feared to feel.

He couldn't help it, but the scent of the man-werewolf felt simply wrong to him, like something that shouldn't exist. The werewolf didn't know this, though, and tried to fight him. It might have been a fair-balanced fight, if not for the fact that the werewolf seemed to be completely insane. He was strong, sure, and fast as well, but that didn't help him much in the end, not really.

The werewolf died pathetically easy after just one good swing with the sword after the wolf's neck, leaving Michael with a strange mix of satisfaction – and disappointment, because it was over way too fast and easy.

There was only only the other guy left now, who seemed to be still in shock, enough that he didn't quite realize that he was left alone with two vampires – alone in the middle of nowhere.

Michael thought that the other ones must have left somehow when the werewolf had changed, but he wasn't completely sure – and it showed. He frowned at that thought, for it felt … just … not right. Darn, he cursed under his breath and turned his attention to the one in front of them.

"Who are you?" The poor guy half asked and half growled, staring at the two vampires in shock, so much like the werewolf they just killed. It was enough that Michael gave the man a close look, trying to find out if he still might have been bitten or something.

Michael couldn't find something suspicious there, but gave David a questioning look anyway, thinking that he'll know better about these things than him. For a fleeting moment they locked gazes only for the platinum-haired vampire to shake his head in response. Michael nodded in response, feeling kinda relieved because he still felt kinda uneasy about the whole killing business – even if part of him knew that it was part of their nature.

Still, he felt some strange emotion about how serious the older vampire was about this. Seriously, if he didn't knew any better, he'd thought David was trying to woo him and Star, or something akin of that.

"We're not here." David said then, interrupting Michaels thought at that. His voice changed to a similar tone it had the very first night when Michael had met them in the cave. It caused the human's eyes to became glassy and he nodded in return.

"You're not here..." He muttered in weird tone then went still, seemingly asleep.

"Come, Michael," David said,"we're done here." He couldn't quite keep the amusement out of his voice while watching the expression of puzzlement on his child's face. Seeing that it was very obvious that he was thinking about something, hard.

* * *

David was surprised by the strength of relief he felt that it wasn't anguish he was feeling from the boy, although he could tell that Michael hadn't quite come to terms with his need for human blood.

"What's on your mind?" He asked, knowing that was better to get out now, or Michael would end up brooding for days again.

"That werewolf, he reminded me of something, someone." Michael began slowly, frowning at what his senses were trying to tell him. He didn't exactly like it but it was the only explanation. "His scent, it reminds of Grandpa, although it's slightly different."

"It is, isn't it?" David nodded, than taking the sword back to mount it on the single bike they were using to get here. "They're similar, yet different, very much in a way."

"How? How could it be?" Michael eyed him for a moment then nodded as well, seeing that what he suspected was true. "How can Grandpa be a werewolf? Wouldn't that mean that we would be, too?" He scratched his head, being now really confused, because he was absolutely sure that neither his brother or his mother was one of them.

"No, it doesn't have to be." The older vampire shook his head in return. "There different kinds of werewolves, or better lycans as they call themselves – and I think your grandfather has been born as one, not made like that poor fool."

"Born?"

"Yes, born. Michael, lycans are a lot different from our kind. They're kind of like humans in the way that they actually can interbreed with them, which means that by law of nature their children would be either lycans or humans."

"Oh, I see. So Grandpa is one but neither of us is, cause our mother didn't marry a werewolf then?"

"Yup, that's it, on the point." David nodded, then frowned, seeing more questions in Michaels eyes. "You want to know why we have to hunt that one then – and why you felt that it was your duty to do so?"

"Yeah, that would be nice to know." Michael nodded eagerly, cause that had been bugging for quite a while – and even more now that he knew about his own grandfather.

"Well, that one had been insane, cause he had the misfortune of not having a pack to help him along. You see, when a human gets changed into a lycan, they go through a very traumatic and painful phase. It's not unlike our own kind does, only it's worse, far worse than just fighting bloodlust. I guess they lose themselves to their wolfish instincts, if their isn't another lycan around to help with their first change."

"I see." Michael nodded, looking thoughtful at the other vampire. "Grandpa seems to pretty ordinary, most of the time." He really was, if you did count the stuffed animals, which made now sense in a strange sense. Michael couldn't help wondering if his Grandpa had hunted them all by himself and all. He frowned at that, because he didn't want to think about that, knowing that it just brought back memories of him and Star, being out there hunting … of the anticipation, the thrill of it and finally the taste of copper on his lips.

"Wonder if he does hunt, still." He murmured aloud, then blinked as in trying to force the thoughts away.

* * *

"You know, you don't have to." David said suddenly, after having watched the younger vampire's change of expression.

"What?" Michael swirled around, looking confused at David. "I don't have to do what?"

"Kill, you don't have to kill when feeding." David sighed, taking a step closer to his child, placing his hands on his shoulders. "Just once," he continued in a low and calm voice. "The first one that's really not to avoid, but after that, it's getting better – after a while."

Michael shivered, unable to break their eye-contact. It was almost like he was back under one of David's spells, but for some reason he knew he wasn't. No, he thought, it wasn't that, not with the sense of seriousness and … protectiveness he caught from the older male.

Swallowing, he forced himself to look away, but didn't moved away. "You're asking me to feed?" He managed to get out in voice that was far too unsteady to his ears.

"No," David whispered, shaking his head slowly, "but it would better if you did, until you lose completely control about your hunger."

"Better?" Michael looked up, staring once again into David's eyes that had now returned to their natural dark colour. "How can that be better?"

"Michael." David shook his shoulders gently, gazing at him like a stubborn child. "Believe me, I really don't want to force you, but it's getting painfully obvious to me that you're losing control about it."

"David, I ..." He tried to object but was caught off guard by a glimpse of pale skin of the older vampire's neck. Michael couldn't help it, but his lips felt suddenly very dry … and he couldn't get his eyes to look somewhere else …

"Drink." David's voice had gotten husky, had became seductive … trance-like and Michael found himself giving into it, leaning closer to the other vampire only to stop a little later.

"Drink," David's voice repeated, sighed only to shake his head in something close to frustration another moment later. "Michael," he said, pulling his child's head close to his, "don't fight this." He gazed into his eyes and Michael stared back, stubbornly fighting what he so obviously desired.

For a long moment, David held his gaze, thinking of something to convince the younger vampire to stop fighting, that fighting this was beyond stupid then smiled softly.

"Do you want to hurt your brother? Hurt Sam?" He asked calmly the grinned at the fearful look he received in return.

"No, I don't want that." Michael managed to get out, shivering now because he couldn't help but … remember, remember that night when he had attacked Sam – and it's only because of Nanook that he hadn't killed his own brother. He licked his lips, once again, knowing that David was right: he was slipping, losing grip on his thirst, with the way the animal blood had became shallow, leaving him longing for something more each night.

The point of no return was coming slowly but steadily – and it was only a question of time until the change would be complete. Too bad, he didn't really feel like cutting strings with his family, with Lucy, Grandpa and most of all Sam just yet.

"I don't think I'm ready to change over …" He managed to get out, trying to explain himself, which wasn't an easy thing for him, but he knew he had to.

"It's okay." David's voice purred softly. "This won't change you into a full vampire, Michael, but it'll help you with your problem, fighting the hunger." It would also feel nice to have this once again, he thought, thinking that it had been far too long since the day he lost his pack, thanks to his sire Max. It could get rather lonely, being all by himself.

The platinum-haired vampire sounded honest, but Michael couldn't help but hear an unspoken 'yet' at the end of this sentence; not that it mattered much, not now.

"Drink." David said a third time – and this time his child didn't fight its lure, not anymore.

And it was good, for both of them. It was good to stop thinking, worrying, fighting loneliness and … just feel, living in the now and here, together.

* * *

xxx

* * *

_Just another stranger_

._  
_

_The other day at the Emerson's place Lucy's routine got a sudden interruption..._

"Hello?" A youthful voice asked, knocking at the door. A door that was opened a moment later, even she knew she should be be more careful now. Only she couldn't help but be curious – and it was broad daylight, so it couldn't be one of those vampires.

"Hello?" Lucy repeated in confusion, while staring at the blonde haired young man in front of her. "Do I know you?" She frowned, cause she had the strangest feeling that she met him before but couldn't place him.

"No," he said in return,"but I have seen you before. Lucy, right? My name is Thornton." He grinned at that. He looked good in a boyish kind of way, rugged, face slightly unshaven and shoulder-long blonde hair, which turned slightly grey at the sides.

"Here," he said, "please accept this for an apology." He revealed a bottle of what looked like high quality wine. "Let's be friends, should we?"

"Um, why not, Mr. ..." She replied, but couldn't help feel flustered at that moment, but also a little bit spooked, because the strange vibe she got from this stranger. Lucy could not help but wonder why he had given only one name, which could be both his given name or his family name; strange one, indeed.

She shook her head then nodded, because it was nothing but a feeling – and not even a bad one at that, but there was something off about this man. Sighing to herself, she took the bottle from him, giving it a close look up – and froze in mid-motion.

It couldn't be … no, there was no way, but nonetheless it was right her hands … very real.

She looked up, giving this Thornton a questioning look, who in return just grinned at her. He looked completely ordinary with his rugged blonde hair and pale blue eye, but so did Max back then – and look what had come out of that in the end? Right it turned into a disaster far bigger than she could imagine at that point since she thought that something like vampires did only exist in books and movies.

"Is the wine to your satisfaction, Ms. Emerson?" He asked in a soft voice, eyes dancing with mirth. Whatever it was, it was obvious it was very important to him that appreciated his gift instead of just accepting it out of courtesy.

"It … is fine." She nodded. "You want to come in on a coffee?" She offered, not knowing what to say or how to react. It wasn't every day a stranger knocked at ones door and then went ahead to offer a gift like this – Why on earth did he pick the exact same wine she had wanted to offer Max for their interrupted dinner? It was the same brand, type and even year of all things.

"Thank you," he said then shook his head. "May be later when I'm not this busy with the house."

"You're new, aren't you?" She smiled at that, remembering how it felt when they had arrived in Santa Carla these weeks ago. "Are you in the neighbourhood?"

"Yeah, one could say that." He nodded then sighed for an unknown reason, his eyes becoming unreadable with emotion she couldn't place. "I'm your neighbour. I'm sure we'll meet again."

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed the ride. Hmm, does anyone have an idea who this Thornton character might be? What's up with the wine and all?_

Mia


	11. Crossing Midnight

Chapter eleven of Thou shall not kill

For disclaimer see chapter one.

**Warnings:** a bit of swearing, some fluff and well, some obvious violence

* * *

**Crossing midnight**

_Two nights later, at the cave ..._

* * *

Michael looked rather relaxed, and slightly more at ease with himself ever since she'd known him. It was enough for her to eye him a little closer, trying to understand why he was different now, all of a sudden. Well, she knew, it wasn't exactly that sudden, for they had been changing ever since they'd first realized that they could do nothing to change their vampire state; it was simply useless to fight it, that much. It really wasn't worth fighting so much anymore, because it only brought more pain if they did.

"You've changed." She noted calmly, after she didn't manage to come up with a good enough reason, but there was a tiny quiver in her voice, because she couldn't help but worry. The only thing worse was only, that there was a part of her that actually approved of this change ... and found it alluring, even right. The brunette half-vampire shivered at that idea, knowing that that was the vampire part of herself. It had gotten so much stronger these days, ever since she'd stopped fighting it, so much.

"I don't know." Michael said, his voice sounding that way of tired that came with fighting with one's self and not from actual exhaustion. He couldn't feel the latter much these days, too; his body having seemingly endless endurance, but there was nothing human about that.

"Star, I feel like I'm slipping." He hugged himself, staring outside. "It's getting harder and harder every night. It seems pointless." Well, it really was pointless fighting, wasn't it? It wasn't like there was a way back either, back to being human. Even if there was a cure to this, Michael wasn't sure he'd take it. Maybe David had been right about him all the time; because being a vampire was more than just what was seen on the surface.

No, he knew what David wanted them to do, joining him for real – and become full vampires, leaving the daylight behind for good. It could be easy, really easy to take that step of embracing this part of him, if not for his family. He still loved them and didn't want to leave them behind, but there also wasn't any denying that he had to let them go sooner or later if he truly wanted them to be kept safe from the creatures that lurked in the dark; creatures like him and Star.

He got up, pulling her in an all too familiar embrace. "We have to make a decision, soon." He acknowledged aloud what he had tried to avoid for far too long.

"I know." She nodded, her voice laced with similar emotion then pulled him closer. "But we have us." She kissed him with more passion than she had intended to.

"Yes, we have, Michael." She purred into his ears, which sounded like a promise to him.

"It's enough," he agreed, pulling her down with him to the bed with a near happy sigh of contentment. "Hmm, yes, definitely more than enough."

"For now." She agreed then sank her fangs into the tender skin a the root of his neck, right over his right shoulder.

Yes, it was more than enough, she decided when he returned the favour, beginning to devour her hungrily – until there was no thought left to think.

There was only sweet darkness, no things to worry about, other than share each other. Sharing blood and other … things, which seemed slightly more humane – but only vaguely. He had a way to drive her crazy, and so did she, of course.

* * *

xox

* * *

Several days later a certain blonde man, the very same one who had introduced himself as Thornton to Lucy Emerson, met Madame Armelle at her stand near the outer rim of the board-walk. The stand was more of a hut than anything else, necessary for her business, because most clients did like their privacy when dealing with these kind of things. Well, there was also the necessary atmosphere which helped pulling the wool over people eyes, among other things.

It was dark and there was the heavy scent of incense permeating the air inside, which gave the place a surreal feel to it. It looked very cliché like, looking very much like any other fairground witch's tent with nothing giving away the fact that Madame Armelle was something more than an ordinary fairground witch.

She was pretty much looking like one though, with her grey hair bound to a bun, the wrinkly face that looked much too old for the graceful way she moved, down to the colourful dress she wore. The desk she used to put her cards on looked just the precise amount of otherworldliness to attract paying customers enough to let her tell their fortunes, without really believing in it. There was even the expected mystic music playing softly in the background people expected to her, just like any other place of this kind had.

Thornton knew it was very much fake, though, made to hide what she really was, which was a real witch or more precise: a sorceress, a female druid of sorts. Her appearance was as much fake as his own, maybe less because she was still human in a way, which he wasn't. His figure was little more than glamour to help him interact with the beings in this reality.

Well, she was the real deal, which was just what he needed, cause an ordinary fairground witch would have been useless to seeking a solution to his problem.

The witch gave him a curious look from behind dark spectacled eyes, which seemed to held some sort of unspoken question for the man-like being in front of her; well, among the obvious curiosity about this early visitor.

"Ye didn't come for the cards, did ye? She finally asked in a low raspy voice as was expected of a person of her profession. It sounded very convincing, although, he could tell that it was more for show, to complete the image of an old witch for their paying customers.

"They're not enough to free me from this curse." He gestured towards his currently human shape, "They can't give me back to my right-full master, can they?"

"No, I'm afraid not," the witch agreed, "ye need something much stronger for that, my dear Thorn." She called him by his name, thus telling him that she indeed recognize what or who he exactly was. It was not his real name, of course, but it came pretty close to its meaning, using the English language.

"Can you? Can you do it?" He asked with much ado, and much fewer words than humans usually used, but clear enough for the ancient witch on the other side of the desk between them.

"May be." Armelle chuckled before regaining her previous posture. "But it's going to cost ye, boy."

"It doesn't matter what sacrifice you require." It truly didn't, because nothing could be worse than being trapped in this world, like this – and going slowly insane because of it. It didn't help much that the one who had caused this was dead now, because he still was bound to this place, unable to leave for any length of time. Well, he had more freedom now than before, but it wasn't as it should be. No, not at all.

"No, I think not." She agreed before shaking her head in a gesture of disbelief. "Maximilian was a fool to have taken ye right out of the Hunt." She chuckled quietly to herself before looking up to the human-shaped hellhound once more. "He's paying with his black soul for it now."

"He deserves it." Thorn said with dark satisfaction. "Serves him right to make crooked deals with the Master."

"He didn't expect to be taken down, so easily either."

"Nope, he didn't." He smirked with playfully glee. "Taken down by a couple of kids and an old geezer."

"The old geezer is more than he seems, though." Armelle noted with a similar amused smile, knowing exactly who the hellhound meant with his words.

"Of course, he is." The old man might be able to fool the humans around him, but not him. He wasn't human at all , after all, and his nose was several times better than any bloodhound's nose so it was quite obvious to him.

Maybe the old man could be of help, somehow, again.

Maybe.

* * *

xox

* * *

Two nights later a couple was killed in a very tragic accident. Well, it was reported as an accident but next to no one believed it since they were practically torn apart by some beast like creature. What was not mentioned in the news that the couple had an about ten-year old boy, who survived the attack, because they didn't know about him being there in the first place.

He survived the attack only because his quick wits he'd developed during his days he spend away from his parents. So, instead of panicking when the attack came he just got out as quickly he could and had hidden beneath his parent's car, where the beast couldn't reach.

It still probably wouldn't have been enough, but the beast hadn't exactly acted very smart either, because when it was done eating his poor parents it just loped away in a twisted parody of sated contentment with no single look behind.

Yeah, just his luck, to lose his parents in such a gruesome way after just being reunited with them. He knew it was his fault previously, for having run away in the first place, but he just hadn't been able to take how things had been at home anymore. His mom always away in dreamland and his father being caught up in just another weird project, eh, experiment of this.

It wasn't a bad life per se, and he probably shouldn't have run away in the first place, but ...

Guess he really freaked when his dad asked him to become his latest subject, yeah, just freaked.

Strange, now, he'd been overjoyed to hear him ask that one again. Now, that it was too late, that they were gone, and there wasn't even a chance in hell that they'd came back.

Nope, this wasn't a fairytale, not anymore. It was just too fucked up, to be that kind of thing.

Maybe he should have stayed, waiting for the police to arrive, but he'd panicked, fearing that they would take him to an orphanage or something worse, like letting his aunt take care of him.

So he did the only thing he could come up with: he ran again.

He should feel sad at that, but he all he could feel was numbness, busy with running so he didn't have to think about what just happened, that wouldn't have think about the torn apart insides of his once so pretty mama and the equal poor remnants of his know-it-all inventor father.

He just had to get away, away from all of that.

Everything disappeared in the simple action of running, on and on, having no real destination other than a vague feeling. He didn't know exactly where they'd been after all, when _it_ happened. He didn't know why he stopped, other than the feeling of sudden deja-vu.

The boy looked around, scratching his dirty blonde hair while looking for something, anything that gave away where he was – nothing. While the place looked familiar, way too familiar, his confused mind couldn't remember on why it did feel this way. Those trees, that pathway; somehow he knew that it lead straight to the ocean, to a place so very familiar.

Yeah, it was very familiar indeed, he thought tiredly.

He sighed, then followed the exact same pathway he'd been walking for some time, even he while he wasn't sure why he did. It certainly looked no different than the other paths he had come bout this night. When he finally stopped it was only to eye a place he hoped never to see again. He swallowed, eying it closer, not sure what to feel about it.

Though, it felt right, right to be here again.

He hadn't meant for things to end like this when he'd bugged his parents so he could visit Star and Michael. He couldn't help but feel guilty, almost wishing it had been him that beast caught and not mama and father. Thinking that, it was even worse, cause he knew that father would be rather upset with him about that.

Not that thinking about that mattered anyway, not now. No, it was far too late for that, so he did the only thing he could do and went down and entered the cave.

He sighed in relief, because he was finally home again, strangely believing that 'they' would make things right again, no matter how unlikely that was.

Home of the only family he had known for a long time.

"Star?" He asked, suddenly not sure what to expect – or if they weren't even here. His gut feeling said they were here, but that wasn't exactly much to go by.

"Michael?" He tried again, this time a little louder, causing a bit of an echo to amplify his question.

Nothing but emptiness answered, though. So, he went deeper into the cave, back to where he knew were the beds had been he and Star had slept through the day. Maybe they were here, still fast asleep? Or were they down under? He frowned at the thought, not sure how to react if they had taken the final step to becoming full vampire.

Would they still recognize him as their friend, their family member?

It was dark here in the lower rearward part of the cave. A dark, his eyes didn't adjust as easily to as they used to when he had lived here, when he'd been part of their pack.

He walked carefully, but soon he came about something … soft. A bed? His hands touched a soft blanket and then came about something harder yet still soft, like a body or bodies.

"Star?" He asked again.

"Laddie?" Star sat up, feeling still groggy from sleep. She wasn't sure for a moment if she wasn't dreaming. She blinked, once, twice but the sight didn't change so the boy had to be really here.

"What happened?" She shared a look with Michael, who was just as worried as she was. Laddie should be safe and sound, back with his real family – and not back in the cave.

"Mama and father are dead." He said softly. "Can I stay here with you?"

"Yes, of course." Michael nodded, then frowned, thinking that the cave wasn't the best place for a boy in Laddie's age. "Maybe you better stay with my folks," he said a moment later.

"No, I want to stay here with you." He argued, hugging them both in a way too desperate looking move.

"You know what we are." Star offered, unsure how to make her point clear that it wasn't a good idea for him to stay here like this. Sure, she loved him, but she also felt compelled to protect him from history repeating.

"Something not right. You're hurt." Michael said, smelling the blood on the boy then frowned at that, because it didn't smell right. Laddie … didn't smell right either. It was a somewhat familiar scent, although, he couldn't figure out why it was that way.

"Yes," Laddie said, "that's why I want to stay here."

* * *

xox

* * *

_The other day at the comic shop, after school..._

Allan and Edgar couldn't help but get suspicious after reading what had happened last night, not with an incident of this magnitude. People dying by a vicious animal attack was usually a sign of vampire activity in Santa Carla – and that's what they had thought at first when reading the article.

At first they thought that this was done vampires, since it looked so very similar – but it wasn't, not alike at all. For one, they were really mauled and not just ripped up to be sucked dry, no, instead huge chucks of flesh were missing according to the Frog brothers.

There was a lot blood reported at the scene, too, something that was very odd if this was done by vampires; very odd indeed. Vampires drank blood, only blood and nothing else – ever.

"He ate them?" Sam muttered, more to himself than to the Frogs. He felt nauseated after what they just had described to him, about what had happened, down to every detail they had gotten from some inside contacts they had in the local press.

"Yup, looks exactly like that." Edgar nodded then shook his head. "But it won't happen again - until next full moon, I hope." His voice shaking a little, showing that he wasn't too sure in this.

"Bah, and there I thought vampires were icky but this is nauseating."

"Yes, it is." Alan agreed. "Never said that werewolves were nice beasties to deal with." He added then frowned at the blonde boy, remembering something else they had talked with their father earlier that day.

"Sam," he began then swallowed deeply before continuing. "How's your brother?"

"My ... brother?" Sam heard himself asking as if caught by surprise, which he was of course. "He's fine, why?" He added with his voice rising just a pitch too high feeling suddenly very nervous. He knew that sooner or later he had to tell the truth, but right now he couldn't.

"Just asking." Edgar said dryly but it was obvious that he had noticed that Sam wasn't telling everything. "We're just worried about you, you know. We don't want you getting hurt in something we could prevent."

"I won't." The blonde haired boy objected gesturing wildly with his hands. "Believe me, I won't be hurt cause everything is okay." He sounded not very convincing, even to his own ears, but he'd do anything to protect his brothers, even from these two, he considered his friends. He had only one brother after all – and while he knew that not everything was all right, it was as good as it get considering the circumstances they had to deal with.

"If you say so." Alan replied darkly as he and his brother watched him leave in a haste, just like he suddenly felt very uncomfortable here.

"He's hiding something, Edgar." He said to his brother almost too low to be heard.

"I know," Edgar agreed, nodding. "But it's not our business any more." He shrugged then went about through a copy of a comic labelled 'The Werewolf's Guide to Life: A Manual for the Newly Bitten' like it was the most interesting thing to read right now, which it wasn't but it held some useful information about werewolves after all.

"Right, we have more important things to deal with." Alan noted and went to retrieve a strangely looking plant from one of the drawers.

"Yeah, got us some wolves to hunt." His brother agreed, before handing Sam the comic book he just had read. "Here, you look like you could use this."

"You two really think that all this is real, too?" Sam couldn't help ask, although there was little real objection in his voice as he already figured that the boys were dead series, but he had to voice it anyway; if only to make a point – or maybe rattle their feathers a little.

"Yeah, we do." The Frog brothers said in return, eying him like he'd just gone nuts just by asking such a stupid question. "Wolves are a damn serious matter."

"Worse than vampires, huh?"

"Yeah, well, kinda." Alan shrugged then grinned. "They're way messier than vampires. That's dead sure!"

"Not to forget that they're way harder to kill than those damn bloodsuckers are." Edgar added with just the faintest hint of annoyance. "They're harder to detect, too." He said, fishing something small and shiny out of his trouser pocket.

"This helps, though." He grinned, kinda like idiot or a kid at Christmas.

"A whistle?" Sam eyed him like he'd grown something of a second head, like he was just as loopy as he appeared.

"Yeah, a dog whistle." Edgar nodded. "They can't stand the noise."

"Yeah, it works even better than silver does," Alan said," although it can't kill them."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, even if it's been a long long time since my last update.

Mia

* * *

_Note: the book used for the comic title does really exist._


End file.
